Can openers



D. s'. RICH CAN OPENERS Sept. 15, 1970 Filed Dec. 11. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DONALD S. RICH WW -l m o f 2 A T NEY FIG. 2

United States Patent O 3,528,175 CAN OPENERS Donald S. Rich, Elizabeth, N.J., assignor to Hilric, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 689,700 Int. Cl. B671) 7/38 US. Cl. 304 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electric can opener has a feeding wheel joined by a common shaft to planet gear. The planet gear is en meshed with a drive gear and retained therewith by a link. Within an aperture in the link is a resiliently held ball bearing. The friction imparted by the ball bearing to the planet gear causes, upon the rotation of the drive gear, the plane gear to planet about the drive gear raising the feeding wheel into a can engaging position. An L- shaped member is pivotally mounted above the can opener blade and detects the presence of a can and, by pivotal movement, opens and closes an electrical switch. The can opener blade has laterally extending boss-like supports as a part thereof for holding a can in a level position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to power can openers and more particularly to an improvement to an automatic can opener.

The majority of electric can openers of prevailing design and construction are little more than conventional manual can o eners with a motor geared to the drive shaft in place of the customary hand crank. In some of these electric can openers it still remains for the operator to operate manually a lever or the like to cause the cutting element to puncture or pierce the can top preparatory to the subsequent severing step, power for which is supplied by the motor.

In addition to performing the initial puncture, the operator is required to remain at the opener to hold the switch in a closed position and to release it to stop the operation when the can top has been completely severed. Where so many procedural steps have to be performed manually, the operator has to remain at the side of the machine while they are being performed.

Various mechanisms have been suggested to relieve the operator of the performance of these steps. All of these mechanisms have in common complicated and hence expensive construction involving a plurality of gears, springs, and electrical connections.

One suggested can opener arrangement is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,060,566. In that arrangement a feed wheel is mounted for movement toward and away from a rotatable cutting wheel. The feed wheel is rigidly mounted to a pinion gear which planets about a smaller pinion gear. A cylindrically shaped shaft is mounted for eccentric rotation about another shaft. A lever arm is attached to this last-mentioned shaft. The cylindrical shaft is, in turn, mounted within a suitably shaped aperture in a link joined to the feed wheel. Movement of the feed wheel into a position to engage a can is accomplished by several complicated steps. First, the lever arm must be in an upright position. This insures that the feed wheel is to one side of the cutting wheel. Next, the can is placed against the feed wheel and under the cutting wheel. The lever arm is then moved or swung to one side. This movement causes the shaft to' rotate the eccentrically mounted shaft. The eccentric motion of the eccentric shaft causes the link to move the feed wheel to the can engaging position.

There are many disadvantages to this device. The operator of the device must first insure the proper position of the can with respect to both the cutting wheel and the feeding wheel. Next, the operator is called upon to use both hands. The operator must hold the can with one hand and move the lever with the other. In final measure, the device is linked to a complicated electromechanical arrangement which must have a carefully timed operation.

Aside from operation, this proposed device has other considerable disadvantages. As described above, the device employs numerous gears, links, levers, springs, and so forth all of which add to the cost of manufacture and maintenance.

SUMMARY The power can opener of this invention is of the type having mounted thereon a cutter and a feeder which serve as can engaging members. The can opener of this invention comprises a driving means. The driving means is rotatably mounted to the can opener and includes an engaging means for rotation of a first of the two members. Link means are pivotally mounted to the can opener and to the first member. This first member is mounted to the can opener for pivotal movement, relative to the second member, into and away from a can engaging position. Friction means are interposed between the first member and the can opener for restraining the rotation of the first member and causing the first member to substantially planet about the driving means. Means are also provided for stopping the planet movement of the first member in the can engaging position, the first member being rotatable by the driving means in the can engaging position.

In one embodiment of this invention, the power can opener comprises two emeshed gear-s. The first gear is, in addition, enmeshed with the gear on the output shaft of an electric motor. A link is joined at each end to the shafts upon which turn the first and second gears. A friction causing element is interposed between the link and the second gear. Upon the starting of the electric motor, the friction causing element restrains the second gear from rotating so that it planets about the first gear. The second gear is fixedly joined to the feeder wheel 'of the can opener. A stop is provided to prevent the second gear from planeting beyond the can engaging position. The stop engages the link and the force of the first gear overcomes the friction causing element and rotates the second gear and feeder wheel. A sensing member is provided proximate the cutting blade for detecting the presence of a can-to-be opened. Such presence causes this member to initiate the operation of the can opener. The sensing member senses the completion of the can opening cycle and stops the can opener. Thus, the can opener mechanism, as described herein, is believed to be the first fully automatic can opener.

It is another object of this invention to provide a can opener which is economical in manufacture.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a fully automatic can opener which requires less maintenance and is more eificient in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can opener constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevated view, partially sectioned, of the FIG. is a front elevation of the can opener showing a can in a cutting position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Shown in FIGS. 1-5 is a can opener broadly indicated by the reference number 10. The can opener has a housing 12 comprising four upstanding rectangularly shaped Walls, 14, 16, 18, and (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5) in combination with a top and a base, 22 and 24, respectively, enclosing therein a cavity 26 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The housing 12 can be of metal, plastic or any other rigid material from which can openers are generally constructed.

The front wall 14 has aflixed thereto, by welding or similar means, a cutting blade 28. It is understood that the blade 28 can take the form of a wheel or other shapes commonly found on can openers. An arcuately shaped aperture 30 (shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 5) in the front wall 14 extends from beneath the cutting blade 28 to one side thereof in a downward direction. The direction of curvature of the arcuate aperture 30' is fully dependent upon the operation of the electric can opener 10 as hereinafter described.

A second, rectangularly shaped aperture 32, is disposed in the front wall 14 above the cutting blade 28. A third aperture 34, rectangular in shape (shown in FIG. 1) is disposed in the top 22 of the can opener 10. The funn tions of the second and third apertures 32 and 34, respeo tively, are more fully described below.

Within the cavity 26, and joined to the rear wall 18 by bolts, glue, or similar means (not shown), is an electric motor 36 (shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). The position of the electric motor 36 within the cavity 26 is one of convenicence and can, for example, be affixed to the base 24. The electric motor 36 is used to supply power to the mechanism of this invention. Any other or similar power means could be employed, including one not inclosed within the cavity 26, afiixed to the housing 12, or permanently attached to the can opener 10. At the base of the rear wall 18 there is shown, in FIG. 3, an aperture 38. Extending from the electric motor 36 and through the aperture 38 are a pair of conventional electric wires 40 for supplying electrical power to the opener 10. Attached to the exterior ends of these wires 40- is a conventional two prong electrical convenience plug 42. This arrangement is intended to display one conventional means for supplying power to the motor 36. It is understood, however, that other forms of electrical power (such as a battery) or mechanical power, either external or internal to the can bopener 10, may be employed.

A second pair of wires 44, extends from the motor 36 to terminals 46 on a switch 48. The switch 48, which can for example be of the miniature switch type, is affixed to an interior surface on the rear sidewall 18 by bolts or similar means (not shown). An L-shaped member 50 extends through the rectangular aperture 32. One arm 52 of the L member 50 extends downwardly over the cutting blade 28. The other arm 54 extends horizontally through the aperture 32 into the cavity 26 of the housing 12. This last mentioned arm 54 is pivotably mounted to the front wall 14 to move in an upward or a downward direction. This mounting is performed by a pin 56 or similar means in the aperture 32 (shown in FIG. 5) or alternatively by a pin secured across the aperture 32 and affixed to the forward wall 14. At the end of the arm 54 of the L member 50* in the cavity 26 is a contact platen 58. A resilient means such as a leaf spring 62 has one end aflixed to the interior surface of the front wall 14 by welding or similar means. The other end of the leaf spring 62 bears upon the L member 60 maintaining it in a horizontal position. The contact platen 58 of the L member 50 is spaced above a pressure switch terminal 60 of the switch 48. An upward motion of the vertical arm 52 causes a pivotally downward movement of the horizontal arm 54 of the L member 50 causing the contact platen 58 to close the switch terminal 60 of the switch 48.

Extending horizontally from the motor 36, within the cavity 26, is a power output shaft 64. Rigidly affixed to the power shaft 64 for axial rotation therewith, is a power output gear 66. Attached to a drive shaft 68 is a drive gear 70. The drive gear 70 is held in place for axial rotation with respect to the drive shaft 68, by washers or the like (not shown). The drive gear 7 0' is enmeshed with the power gear 66. Two links or yoke like members 72 and 74 are pivotably mounted to the drive shaft 68 and are disposed on either side of the drive gear 7 0. The links 72 and 74 can be held in place by a groove in the power output shaft 68 or washers (neither shown) or the like. Each link 72 and 74 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof. The drive shaft 68 is rigidly secured or aflixed at each end to the interior surface of the front and rear walls 14 and 18, respectively, in a manner more fully described below.

Rigidly secured to a planet shaft 76, for axial rotation therewith, is a planet gear 78. The links 72 and 74 are pivotably mounted at the other ends thereof to the planet shaft 76 and axially disposed on opposed sides of the planet gear 78. The links 72 and 74 may be held in place by a groove or washer (not shown) on either side of the planet gear 78. The planet gear 78 is enmeshed for rotation with the drive gear 70. The planet shaft 76 extends without the housing 12 through the arcuate aperture 30 in the front wall 14.

A protective cover shield 80 (shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5) of approximately triangular shape, made of a rigid material, is pivotably secured at one apex thereof to the exterior of the front wall 14 by means of screw 82. This same screw 82 extends through the wall 14 into the cavity 26 and afiixes the drive shaft 68 to the front wall 14. A second screw 84 (shown in FIG. 3) extends through the rear wall 18 and fixedly secures the drive shaft 68 thereto. The shield 80 is arranged to cover the arcuate aperture 30 for preventing foreign matter from entering into the cavity 26.

The planet shaft 76 extends through the arcuate aperture 30 and through an aperture 86 (shown in FIG. 3) in the shield 80. A feed wheel 88 is rigidly secured to the planet shaft 76 for axial rotation therewith. The feed wheel 88 is of the type ordinarily used in can openers. As shown in FIG. 1, the feed wheel 88 is in the form of circular-star shaped member. The feed wheel 88 is spaced from the shield 80 by a wafer or other means (not shown) to insure the free movement thereof by operation of the can opener 10. A stop 90 comprising a finger-like projection or boss of the interior front wall 14 extends parallel to the base 24 and can be formed as by casting or molding as a part of the inner surface of the front wall 14. As viewed in FIG. 2 the stop 90 is to the right of the planet gear 78.

One of the links 72 (which is shown more clearly in FIG. 4, positioned between the planet and gears 78 and 70, respectively, and the rear or back wall 18) has therein an aperture 92. Residing within this aperture 92, and in frictional contact with the planet gear 78, is a ball bearing 94. A leaf spring or other resilient means 96 is affixed to a side of the link 72 opposed to the planet gear 78 and extends over the aperture 92 for resiliently holding the ball bearing 94 in frictional contact with the planet gear 78.

A rectangularly shaped button member 98 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5) of a rigid material such as Bakelite or plastic is on the top 22 over the third aperture 34 (visable in FIG. 1). Aflixed to the button 98, and extending vertically through the third aperture 34, is an elongated member 100 having a clevis 102 (shown in FIG. 2) at one end. The prongs of the clevis 102 are so arranged as to grip therewithin the planet shaft 76 between the link 74 and the front wall 14. The button 98 and member are slidable along and within the third aperture 34 and held in place by a ring washer, clip, or the like (not shown) in the cavity 26 about the member 100, and against the inner surface of the top 22.

The operation of the can opener of this invention may be more clearly understood with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 in conjunction with the foregoing description. In FIG. 1, the can opener 10 is shown prior to operation. The feed wheel 88, and associated planet shaft 76, planet gear 78 and pivoted ends of links 72 and 74, reside at the lowest part of the arcuate aperature to the left of the cutting blade 28. The L member is balanced by its associated leaf spring 62 so that the arms 54 and 52 are parallel to the base 24 and front wall 14, respectively.

When a can 104 (indicated in cutting position in FIG. 5) is placed under the blade 28, the L member 50 is pivoted upwards by the can lid (not shown). The contact platen 58 (as shown in FIG. 3) of the L member 50 is pressed downward on the switch terminal 60 of the switch 48 closing the electrical circuit and causing the electric motor 36 to run. The L member 50 and switch 48 are, therefore, part of a sensing means for determining the presence or absence of a can 104. Other types of sensing means are considered within the scope of this disclosure. Thus, for example, a specially constructed switch could be joined with the feeding wheel 88 to sense the presence of a can 104, or the L member 50 could be in the form of a spring-loaded, horizontally protruding member placed proximately the blade 28.

The motor 36 turns or rotates the power output shaft 64 and power output gear 66 counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrow 106 in FIGS. 2 and 5. The rotation of the power output gear 66 causes the drive gear 70 to rotate in the clockwise direction, indicated by arrow 108. It is understood that other means can be employed to rotate a drive mechanism such as a drive belt or the like. It is further understood that the power means could be provided by a means external to the can opener 10.

The clockwise rotation of the drive gear 70 causes the planet gear 78, planet shaft 76, and feed wheel 88 to rotate in the counter clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 110. The rotation of the feed wheel 88 is, however, not restricted to the use of enmeshed planet and drive gears 78 and 70, respectively. It is understood that other means such as a belt drive can be equally employed.

The friction engendered between the ball bearing 94 and the planet gear 78 restrains or otherwise halts the tendency of the planet gear 78 to be rotated axially about the planet shaft 76. Thus, the planet gear 78 and shaft 76 will, when power is imposed on the drive gear 70, planet about the drive gear 70 and shaft 68. The 0 links 72 and 74 act as a yoke and maintain engagement between the planet and drive gears, 78 and 70, respectively.

The planet gear 78, planet shaft 76, feed wheel 88, and shield 80, will rotate or move clockwise, as indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow 112, along a path defined by the arcuate aperture 30. (At the same time therewith the can release button 98 will be carried along the top 22 of the can opener 10.) As the feed wheel 88 comes into a can engaging position under the cutting blade 28 it is halted in its planet motion by the stop 90 abutting the link 74 adjacent to the front wall 14. At this point, the torque exerted by the drive gear 70 is great enough to overcome the friction between planet gear 78 and ball bearing 94 and allow the feed wheel 88 to rotate.

The pressure of a can 104 against the feed wheel 88 can be employed to shift the planet gear 78 into tighter frictional engagement with the ball bearing 94 to assist in causing the planet motion.

It is understood that the friction can be supplied by other means than a ball bearing held resiliently against the drive wheel. Such friction can be induced, for example, by means of a Belleville washer disposed about the shaft 76, and between one of the links 72 or 74 and the planet gear 78. It is understood, as well, that one link can be employed instead of the two disclosed in the drawings. Further, it is understood that it is not essential that such a link or links be pivotally mounted to the drive shaft. Such a link could be easily pivotally secured to some other convenient point. For example, the link could be pivotally secured to a point on the front wall 14 of the can opener 10.

The cutting blade 28 has, as a part thereof, extending bosses 114 (shown in FIG. 1). These bosses 114 prevent the can 104 from tilting during the can-opening process. The bosses 114 form an integral part of the blade 28 and can be stamped out of the same piece of metal, thus forming an economical and eflicient blade and can holding structure.

During the operation, the can lid lifts the L member 50 which initiates the operation of the electric motor 36. The feed wheel 88 planets and rotates the can into the blade 28. At this point, only a moment after operation is initiated, the operator may release the can for completely automatic opening. The combination of the feed wheel 88 and the blade 28 grip and hold the can in place. The feed wheel 88 and blade 28 are, in the preferred embodiment, substantially vertical during the cutting operation. It is understood that the link 72 or 74 can be so shaped as to extend beyond the vertical position of the feed wheel 88 and blade 28 as with an angular bend therein. This angle (not shown) can be so arranged as to act as a weight to assure the position of the vertical position of the feed Wheel 88 by acting as a counter weight in a manner commonly known in the art. It is further understood, that the feeding wheel and cutting blade of this arrangement is not limited to the vertical embodiment shown. Thus, it is believed that the can opener operation, as disclosed herein, can be employed in some other plane, as for example with the cutter blade and feeding wheel in a horizontal plane. This variance in the plane of operation is made possible because the planet motion of the planet gear about the drive gear is not dependent upon gravity for operation.

In operation the can 109 is placed under knife 28. The feed wheel 88 turns and planets the can into the knife 28 (as shown in FIG. 5) puncturing the can top. The bosses 114 hold the can 104 in a substantially upright position. Upon completion of the cutting operation, the can lid is separated from the can 104. The L member 50 assists in the efiect of depressing the can lid at and by the knife blade 28. A manget, commonly know in the 1agt (and not shown), may be used to hold the separated Upon completion of opening the lid the L member 50 moves downward and opens the switch 48 and the motor 36 stops. A simple twist of the can 104 will remove it from engagement by the feeder wheel 88 and the blade 28 and return the feeder wheel 88 at the lowest portion of the arcuate aperture 30. Additionally, however, the can release button 98 may be manually moved to the left. Alternatively, the clevis ends 102 move the feeder wheel 88 to the left releasing the can 104 and placing the feeder wheel 88 in its rest position.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic can opener of the type having two can engaging members, the member's comprising feed means and cutting means, the can opener comprising:

a housing;

drive means rotatably secured to said housing;

planet means coupled to said drive means for planetary motion about said drive means and for rotational motion by said drive means, one of the can engaging members being coupled to said planet means for movement and rotation therewith; and

means for inhibiting said rotational motion of said planet means such that said planet means planets about said drive means for a predetermined distance and thereafter said planet means having only said rotational motion, thereby causing the one can engaging member to planet into a can engaging position and to be rotated so as to be capable of opening a can.

2. A can opener as recited in claim 1 wherein said inhibiting means comprises: at least one member pivotally secured to said planet means.

3. A can opener as recited in claim 2 wherein said inhibiting means comprises friction imparting means disposed between said pivot member and said planet means.

4. A can opener as recited in claim 3 wherein said inhibiting means comprises: stop means for engaging said planet means so as to limit said planetary motion of said planet means to said predetermined distance.

5. A can opener as recited in claim 4 wherein:

said drive means includes at least one drive gear, and said planet means includes at least one planet gear enmeshed with said drive gear.

6. A can opener as recited in claim 5 wherein:

said drive means includes a drive shaft, said drive gear being rotatably mounted upon said drive shaft;

said planet means includes a planet shaft, the one can engaging member and said planet gear rigidly affixed to said planet shaft for rotation therewith, said pivot member being rectangularly shaped and pivotally secured at each end to said planet and drive shafts, respectively.

7. A can opener as recited in claim 6 wherein:

said pivot member having an aperture therein, said aperture being adjacent a side of said planet gear;

a ball bearing residing with said aperture; resilient means for holding said ball bearing against said planet gear and thereby forming said friction imparting means.

8. A can opener as recited in claim 7 wherein:

a second pivot member is disposed on a side of said drive and planet gears opposed to that of said firstmentioned pivot member and forming with said firstmentioned pivot member a yoke, said second-mentioned pivot member being pivotally secured at opposed ends to said drive and planet shafts, respectively.

9. A power can opener as recited in claim 8 wherein there is:

can sensing means for sensing the presence of a can and initiating the operation of can opener.

10. A power ca opener as recited in claim 9 wherein said can sensing means includes:

a member pivotally mounted to the can opener and proximate the cutting means, the member moving in response to the application of the lid of a can to be opened.

11. A power can opener as recited in claim 8 including:

means for releasing the feed means from the can engaging position. 12. A power can opener as recited in claim 11 wheresaid release means includes a member engaging said planet shaft for moving said planet shaft away from the can engaging position.

13. A can opener as recited in claim 9 wherein: the cutting means includes a cutting blade, said cutting blade having bosses extending therefrom to stabilize a can to be opened by said can opener. 14. A can opener as recited in claim 12 comprising: power means for driving said drive gear, said power gear comprising:

an electric motor, a power output shaft coupled to and extending from said electric motor, and at least one power output gear aflixed to said power output shaft and enmeshed with said drive gear. 15. A can opener as recited in claim 14 wherein: said housing having a top, bottom, and side Walls enclosing therewithin a cavity, said front wall having therein an arcuate aperture, shield means pivotally mounted to said drive shaft, said planet shaft extending within and without said cavity through said arcuate aperture, the feed means being the one can engaging member and secured to said planet shaft exterior said housing and said shield means. 16. A power can opener as recited in claim 1 wherein: there is can sensing means for sensing the presence of a can to be opened and initiation of the operation of said can opener. 17. A can opener as recited in claim 16 wherein: said can sensing means comprises a sensing member pivotally mounted to said can opener and proximate the cutting means, said sensing member moving in response to the application of the lid of a can to be opened. 18. A can opener as recited in claim 17 comprising: means for supplying power to operate said can opener, switch. means coupled to said sensing member, and

sensing member moving pivotally upwards in response to the movement of a can to be opened, said pivotal movement of said sensing member causing said switch means to close thereby supplying power to said can opener. 19. A power can opener as recited in claim 1 including:

means for releasing said one can engaging member from the can engaging position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,745,174 5/1956 Herrick 304 2,755,547 7/1956 Hanby 304 2,824,366 2/1958 Sarlf 304 2,896,319 7/1959 Pinette 304 2,997,785 8/1961 Pinette 304 3,018,549 l/1962 Spielman 304 3,059,332 10/1962 Chappell et a1. 304 3,060,568 lO/l96'2 Nisenson 304 3,130,492 4/1964 Knapp 304 3,156,044 11/1964 Congdon et al. 304 3,253,334 5/1966 McLean 304 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner G. F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner 

